Public Administration (SFP) Secretary Roberto Salcedo participates in 35th Meeting of Ambassadors and Consuls

Public Administration (SFP) Secretary Roberto Salcedo participates in 35th Meeting of Ambassadors and Consuls

• In 2024, the SFP will administer 22 trillion pesos (about USD 1.3 trillion) of federal public resources, said Secretary Roberto Salcedo Aquino.
• He explained that the result of the ministry's preventive efforts can be seen in the downward trend of the observations made by the ASF regarding the Public Account since 2019.

Today, the Secretary of Public Administration (SPF), Roberto Salcedo Aquino, took part in the 35th Meeting of Ambassadors and Consuls, saying that the institution he heads administers public resources which, in 2024, amount to 9 trillion pesos (bdp in Spanish, or about USD 530.5 billion), in addition to preserving federal public assets in the amount of 13 bdp, including State companies, which adds up to a total of 22 bdp (about USD 1.2 trillion).

He explained that the SFP is an internal audit body with powers that are defined constitutionally and legally, and whose work is essentially preventive, not punitive, in nature.

He said, "The internal control system...consists of two elements: the first consists of designing and applying a methodology to identify and manage risks, so that actions are established in advance to prevent inefficiency and the commission of illicit acts; the second element seeks to ensure the effective functioning of the institutional control and performance committees."

Secretary Salcedo Aquino explained to the diplomatic corps, headed by Foreign Secretary Alicia Bárcena Ibarra, that the SFP's corrective work emphasizes purchases and public works, which is why 47 percent of financial audits and compliance focuses on these areas.

He explained that the result of concentrating the ministry's efforts on prevention and internal control can be seen in the consistent downward trend of the observations made by the Supreme Audit Institution (ASF), an external oversight body of the Chamber of Deputies that reviews the Public Account, the government's most important instrument of accountability. He stressed that the monetary total of the ASF's observations regarding the federal budget have been declining.

For the 2019 Public Account, the ASF made observations regarding only 0.8 percent of the budget for that year, which was 5.5 bpd. In 2020, its observations fell to 0.4 percent of the 5.7 bdp budget; and, in 2021, to 0.2 percent of the 6.3 bdp budget. He said that the final results of the 2022 Public Account review will be delivered in February, and the trend indicates that the percentage may decrease even further.

Foreign Secretary Alicia Bárcena Ibarra said, "The work of the Public Administration Ministry is very difficult, and it has crucial implications for ensuring what we understand as good governance, the efficient and honest use of public resources."

At the meeting, the diplomats shared their concerns about the budget allocated to Mexico's representations abroad, audits, property leases, accountability and advance voting rules, which are all key issues for the Foreign Ministry in order to perform its duties efficiently.

The 2024 meeting of ambassadors and consuls (REC 2024) aims to coordinate Mexico's foreign policy planning to address global challenges, take advantage of international opportunities and meet the goal of Mexico's diplomacy, which is to defend the interests of Mexico and its citizens abroad.